Monday, November 12, 2018

"After this past week, people in the Resistance are exhausted.But they’re not resting."-- Michelle Goldberg, New York Times

Why We Rallied - Why Congress Must Act

Jeff Sessions’ forced resignation/firing as Attorney general has created a Constitutional crisis. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker has argued against the Mueller investigation and is now overseeing it. This means the Mueller investigation is defenseless. Mueller must complete his work.

Congress must act now to pass legislation that protects Mueller. We must stop Trump from destroying our Constitution and the Rule of Law.

We must call AND email AND text/Resistbot our Members of Congress EVERY DAY until Whitaker recuses himself and legislation to protect Mueller is passed.Call EVERY DAY Email EVERY DAYText/Resistbot (50409) EVERY DAY

Tell Your Members of Congress Trump is Not Above the Law.

• The news about the Russia investigation changes daily. Trump could keep Mueller in place, but continue to undermine the probe by cutting funding, narrowing its scope, or degrading oversight. As of November 9, Democrats in Congress are contemplating a lawsuit contesting the appointment of Matthew Whitaker as Acting Attorney General to oversee the investigation. Tell your Members of Congress to back this lawsuit.

• "Senator Jeff Flake announced that he and Senator Chris Coons would force a roll-call vote on the "protect Mueller bill" when the Senate reconvenes. Donald Trump floated a trial balloon for authoritarianism, and we just popped it. Our actions are playing a critical role in shaping the response to this power grab." -- MoveOn.org

Punishment Proposed for Being Poor

Our lives should be defined by how we contribute to our communities—not by how much money we have. But a proposed new Trump regulation would ensure only wealthy immigrants could build a future in the U.S. The proposed policy expandsthe definition of a “public charge” to anyone in lower-income thresholds who has used section 8 housing, subsidized health care, etc. These people are paying taxes, and blocking these services to parents will hurt children. Please comment! Comments are due December 10.

HAPPENINGSCheck for details and new posts on our events page.All Indivisibles are welcome at all these events and meetings.

THIS WEEKTuesday, November 13 - Seaside-Gearhart Community Group monthly meeting, 6:30 - 8 pm. For location and directions, contact kathleenannmacdonald@yahoo.com.

Wednesday, November 28 - INCO Book Club,6:30 pm, in Astoria.We’ll discuss a novel,A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, Penguin Books, 2013. Among the reviews were the following: "Just as good as, if not better than, Hosseini's best-selling first book, The Kite Runner." Newsweek. "Hosseinni has the story telling gift." Los Angeles Times.Contact cebeady@outlook.com for directions.

Protesting against the appointment of a Trump loyalist as Acting Attorney General, 150-200 people gathered on November 8 in Astoria to rally with INCO for the rule of law. Our rally was one of hundreds around the country insisting that nobody is above the law. The new appointment threatens effective oversight of the Mueller investigation. Many experts, including some Republicans, consider this appointment a violation of the US Constitution because it is not being submitted to the Senate for confirmation. The appointee, Matthew Whitaker, has oversight of the Mueller probe, but has long been openly critical of it.

The crowd - including several candidates - loved the Big Tent Election Night Party that INCO co-sponsored. Celebrating election victories and regretting losses with good people and good food was a well-deserved treat for all who ran, campaigned, and got out the vote.

INSIGHTS

“...mid-way between moral and immoral, ethical and unethical is nowhere. Accommodating the immoral, the unethical, the crazies out there simply dilutes one's position and doesn't make it MORE honorable but LESS so. We need to firmly avow our position as long as it is anchored in truth and justice.” --Meridee Faber

HOORAY FOR PROGRESSIVE VICTORIES AT THE MIDTERMS

Voting Rights

FLORIDA: Passage of Amendment 4 restores the right to vote to 1.4 million people with prior felony convictions

NORTH DAKOTA: Voters approve an initiativeto create an independent ethics commission, ban foreign money in North Dakota elections, ban lobbyists gifts to public officials, and increase transparency in state government.

FLORIDA: Voters approved a constitutional amendment that creates new, important ethics rules for Florida’s elected and government officials and makes strong improvements to Florida’s lobbying rules.

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA: A local initiative to create a municipal ethics commission passed.

OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED: Measures calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United passed statewide in Massachusetts and locally in Wisconsin.

ACTIONPRIORITIESFocus on the issues you care about most

Tell Your Members of Congress to:

• Uphold the rule of law and protect our democracy. • Condemn the administration's authoritarian speech, actions, and policies. • Pressure your GOP colleagues to assert Congress' role as a co-equal branch of government, not as a servant of the President. • Protect Mueller, Rosenstein, and the Russia investigation that has already led to indictments and convictions of Trumpsters and Russians. • Restore trust in the judiciary, media, and in all the other civic institutions being purposely undermined by Trump and his administration • Defeat the administration's white supremacist actions and promotion of bigotry against people of color, naturalized citizens, foreign students, and non-Christians.

• Protect all Americans. • Stand with people who need help getting medical care and enough food to eat. • Stop the administration's attacks on America's allies and embrace of America's totalitarian enemies. • Demand effective government actions to deal with climate change. • Provide meaningful help for Puerto Rico's recovery from Hurricane Maria. • Oppose nominees to be federal judges who fail to support equal rights for all people • Develop a humane and practical immigration policy.

ELECTIONS MATTER

CONTACT US

Email incoregon (at) gmail.com

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STAY ACTIVE! RESIST!

Many of you are already involved in civic-minded organizations that embrace the call to activism. We applaud these efforts. In the days ahead, much will be required of us. Now more than ever, we need to support the good work of all.

One choice among many for marching ahead is Indivisible North Coast Oregon. A young movement with over 5,000 groups nationwide, Indivisible promotes grassroots activism to resist an agenda built on racism, authoritarianism, and corruption.

If you’re interested in marching ahead with Indivisible, sign up here.